Joe, I think you would get more interest in your thread if you show the image as a photo, rather than a link. I've noticed you almost always just post the web link, why do you do that?

Many people cannot be bothered to click on a link, and showing the photo just looks better, and you can compare photos in the thread more easily. Even I have managed to work out how to show photos on here, so if I can do it anybody can!

Sorry Joe, thinking about it I shouldn't have really said anything, you've been showing photos the same way on here longer than me, and know what you're doing. I personally prefer to see the photos rather than links, but that might just be me, others might prefer what you've always done, anyway I apologise.

Sorry Joe, thinking about it I shouldn't have really said anything, you've been showing photos the same way on here longer than me, and know what you're doing. I personally prefer to see the photos rather than links, but that might just be me, others might prefer what you've always done, anyway I apologise.

Click to expand...

No problem Jimbo ... you are very correct that most viewers do not like to click links and as a result, many such posts get little attention. I will try to embed single pictures using the img tabs rather than provide url links for folders of pictures.

Sharing some pictures of 6 famous player woods rackets including rosewall, gonzales, vines, and budge. I personally really like the photo decal wood rackets. Take a look at a few:

Click to expand...

Interesting because I have the opposite reaction to pictures on racket. I am tempted to assume that it's just a con scheme; slap a picture of a famous person on an otherwise irrelevant object and the unaware may be tricked into buying. Maybe things were different back then, but I would assume the knowledgeable players wouldn't need the picture/name of a celebrity to figure out which racket is which. Thus I am led to believe the rackets were not meant for the cognoscenti but rather for the impressionable.

Interesting because I have the opposite reaction to pictures on racket. I am tempted to assume that it's just a con scheme; slap a picture of a famous person on an otherwise irrelevant object and the unaware may be tricked into buying. Maybe things were different back then, but I would assume the knowledgeable players wouldn't need the picture/name of a celebrity to figure out which racket is which. Thus I am led to believe the rackets were not meant for the cognoscenti but rather for the impressionable.

Click to expand...

Many of the later photo decal rackets were not player models but the earlier woods like the Wilson Famous Players Series were quality rackets.

Players like Tom Okker, Lew Hoad, Rod Laver and a German player who's name just does'nt come to mind, used to have there photo's/signatures on one of the best rackets from the era: the Maxply Fort.

Click to expand...

Not just of an era - the Maxply Fort one of if not the greatest frames of all time......thing didn't change much in over 50yrs of production.

Didn't ever see any "head shots" of players on a Fort? Thought that was the beauty of Dunlop not doing that......everybody used it or at least at one time used it.........big reason Laver went to Chemold was of course for the $$$$$ and that Dunlop wouldn't give him an autograph version of the Fort.

No problem Jimbo ... you are very correct that most viewers do not like to click links and as a result, many such posts get little attention. I will try to embed single pictures using the img tabs rather than provide url links for folders of pictures.

Not just of an era - the Maxply Fort one of if not the greatest frames of all time......thing didn't change much in over 50yrs of production.

Didn't ever see any "head shots" of players on a Fort? Thought that was the beauty of Dunlop not doing that......everybody used it or at least at one time used it.........big reason Laver went to Chemold was of course for the $$$$$ and that Dunlop wouldn't give him an autograph version of the Fort.

Click to expand...

There are many different versions of the Dunlop Maxply Fort made over the 50 odd years they were made, but yes they are all similar.

I have quite a collection of about 80 different ones (some variations quite small), but then I reckon about 300-500 variations were made worldwide:shock:

Cool never saw those.......I first started playing in the late 60s in Jrs and always remembered how many Forts, Slazenger 1, Halliets and Kramers dominated.....my first Wimbledon in 1968 I remember seeing soooooo many Forts and Salzengers........I have 3 Forts in my stash.....favorite was the 1982 version with the large Red DUNLOP on the flake above the grip......best looking of them all.

Cool never saw those.......I first started playing in the late 60s in Jrs and always remembered how many Forts, Slazenger 1, Halliets and Kramers dominated.....my first Wimbledon in 1968 I remember seeing soooooo many Forts and Salzengers........I have 3 Forts in my stash.....favorite was the 1982 version with the large Red DUNLOP on the flake above the grip......best looking of them all.

Click to expand...

Yes, I think that version looks great, the Bi-handers also look very cool, but my favourites are the Maxply Fort Wood/Graphites from around the same time. That was the first tennis racket I ever had back in the late 70's, so that is probably why i like it so much

Yeah I was surprised to find that one, it is the last of the players autograph Maxply's as far as I'm aware. The Okker is the one I havn't got in my collection unfortunately. I will stick some photos on here of the others at some point, although it will take a while as rackets are currently mostly in storage.

Cool never saw those.......I first started playing in the late 60s in Jrs and always remembered how many Forts, Slazenger 1, Halliets and Kramers dominated.....my first Wimbledon in 1968 I remember seeing soooooo many Forts and Salzengers........I have 3 Forts in my stash.....favorite was the 1982 version with the large Red DUNLOP on the flake above the grip......best looking of them all.

Click to expand...

Must have been wonderful to hit on the lawns of Wimbledon, especially with woods.

That was a Jr Fort - had JMacs name and pic.....for the 1 1/2 yrs he used the fort before the Maxply McEnroe was released he was using the std Fort - there was even an ad campaign based on the fact JMac was going back to his "roots" and using the original stick he started out with.

Just look at any pic from 81 - 82 and you will see he std fort with just some lead tape at the 3 and 9 positions.

The Heinz Gunthardt was actually a Maxply Tournament model.
Chocolate brown with gold striping and red Maxply logo...one of the best looking Maxply's ever.

Click to expand...

Makes sense - from the early 70s (maybe late 60s) the Fort was the Fort......even Lavers Forts were just plain old Forts. I know they did Junior models with players and that's how they would work out the endorsement deals.

Makes sense - from the early 70s (maybe late 60s) the Fort was the Fort......even Lavers Forts were just plain old Forts. I know they did Junior models with players and that's how they would work out the endorsement deals.

Click to expand...

It is interesting that the latest photo decal models were for juniors. The maxply tournament had graphite lamination for a little extra stiffness/power